World Land Trust (WLT) is concerned with the deforestation, biodiversity loss, social and climatic impacts which result from the unsustainable production of palm oil.
However, we recognise the importance of the role of the palm oil industry to the economies of developing countries and acknowledge that, as the cheapest-to-produce, highest-yielding, and most versatile vegetable oil on the market, transforming the market to a sustainable and traceable supply of palm oil is the most responsible path. We believe boycotting palm oil would increase demand for other, less efficient edible oils and therefore may have an even greater environmental impact. Therefore, WLT supports the use of Certified Sustainable Palm Oil (CSPO) via accredited schemes administered by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).
Through our local in-country partners, WLT supports organisations working in landscapes impacted by palm oil production. As well as supporting them to prevent the loss of any further natural habitats to oil palm plantations, we also support their initiatives to find joint solutions with palm oil producers for the conservation of wildlife and sustainable production of palm oil. These solutions include the restoration of former oil palm areas to natural habitat, the establishment of wildlife corridors through plantations and the reduction of wildlife-plantation conflicts. We consider that any new areas of oil palm should be prioritised onto areas of degraded land or other land of low conservation value.
